March 15, 2024 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Metabolon, Cardiff University partner for MS biomarker research Metabolon and Cardiff University are partnering to discover new biomarkers that could help better understand disease mechanisms and develop new treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS). The project leverages Metabolon’s expertise in metabolomics, a field of research that measures all products of metabolism, called metabolites, that are made…
January 17, 2024 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Protein levels in CSF may help diagnose primary progressive MS The level of proteins called kappa free light chains in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ā the liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord ā may be used as a diagnostic marker to identify the presence of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study. Testing for…
August 11, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Biomarker found for potential new disorder that’s been labeled as MS An antibody biomarker may help to distinguish people with a disease that resembles multiple sclerosis (MS), but may actually be its own clinical disorder, according to a new study. The biomarker was present in about 1% of MS patients and in 6% of those with a related demyelinating condition…
August 10, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Retinal Thinning After Optic Neuritis May Help Predict Relapse Recovery After a relapse involving optic neuritis, or inflammation in the nerves connecting the eyes and brain, measurements of retinal thinning may predict the likelihood of full recovery from future relapses in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study suggests. The measurement could identify subclinical nerve cell damage that remains…
July 5, 2022 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Estriol Plus Copaxone May Protect Against Nerve Damage in RRMS Taking the pregnancy hormone estriol in combination with Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) significantly reduced the blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) ā a marker of nerve damage ā in women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), clinical trial data show. These lower NfL levels were significantly associated with a…
May 11, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Low Levels of APP Molecule Found in Patients With MS-related Fatigue Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with fatigue have significantly lower levels of amyloid precursor protein (APP) ā a molecule involved in nerve cell function ā in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) relative both to those without this common symptom and healthy people, a study shows. The CSF is the liquid…
April 28, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Blood Biomarker Test Granted Breakthrough Device Status by FDA Quanterixās ultra-sensitive blood test that measures a biomarker of nerve damage in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) has been granted a breakthrough device designation by U.S. regulators. It is thought that the test, which employs the companyās Simoa technology, can accurately predict the risk of disease activity in…
April 25, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD In Relapsing MS, NfL Levels Help in Disease Progression Prediction Serum levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) ā proteins found in nerve cell projections ā can help in the prediction of disease progression among people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to an analysis of data from two large Phase 3 trials. The researchers said that NfL…
March 7, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Stem Cell Therapy NG-01 Shows Neuroprotective Effects in Trial Administering the stem cell therapy NG-01 ā designed to have neuroprotective and neuro-regenerative properties ā directly into the spinal canal can significantly reduce the levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL), a neuronal damage biomarker, in people with active, progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). These are the new…
February 23, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS NfL Blood Test May Help Predict MS Activity, Treatment Response Levels of a protein called neurofilament light chain (NfL) in the blood can be used to predict the risk of future disease activity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study. The results also suggest that changes in NfL levels could be used to deduce the extent…
August 3, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Trials Support NfL Levels as Marker of Disease Activity in Relapsing MS Larger declines with treatment in blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL), a marker of nerve cell damage, are associated with fewer brain lesions, less brain shrinkage, and lower relapse rates in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosisĀ (MS), a study reported. These results, based on a post-hoc analysis…
May 20, 2021 News by Aisha I Abdullah PhD Vitamin D Binding Protein a Potential Biomarker in MS Lower blood levels of vitamin D binding protein, known as VDBP, were observed in newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in a new study ā findings that suggest the protein could potentially act as a biomarker for the neurodegenerative disease. āThe…
April 20, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #AANAM ā Measuring Blood Proteins Could Predict Disability in SPMS Editorās note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the 2021 Virtual AAN Annual Meeting, April 17ā22. GoĀ here to read the latest stories from the conference. Among people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) without active disease, high blood levels of the…
April 9, 2021 News by Vanda Pinto, PhD Retinal Layer Thickness May Predict MS Progression, Relapses Measurements of the thickness of the eye’s retina ā the layer of nerve cells lining the back of the eye ā could be used to predict disability progression and relapses in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a real-world study from Austria suggests. āOur study shows that both crossectional and…
March 26, 2021 News by Vanda Pinto, PhD NurOwn Cell Therapy Found Safe, Effective for Progressive MS in Phase 2 Trial NurOwn cell therapy led to significant improvements in the physical abilities, vision, and cognition of people withĀ progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) in a Phase 2 clinical trial, top-line data show. In addition to these positive efficacy results, BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics, NurOwn’s developer, announced that its cell-based therapy showed…
February 26, 2021 News by Forest Ray PhD #ACTRIMS2021 – Blood NFL Levels Seen to Rise With Markers of MS Progression Editorās note: TheĀ Multiple Sclerosis News Today news team is providing in-depth and unparalleled coverage of the virtual ACTRIMS Forum 2021, Feb. 25ā27. GoĀ hereĀ to see all the latest stories from the conference. Higher blood levels of neurofilament light chain (sNfL) were linked with disability, brain atrophy, and other features of…
February 11, 2021 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD KIF5A Protein Levels in CSF May Act as Biomarker of Progressive MS The levels of KIF5A protein are elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ā the liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord ā of people with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) and, further, are correlated with disease progression measures in patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), a new study shows. These…
January 22, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD SERPINA3 Nerve Injury-induced Protein May Be Biomarker of PPMS People with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) have significantly higher levels of a nerve injury-induced protein, called SERPINA3, in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) than do those with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and those without the neurodegenerative disease, a study shows. Of note, the CSF is the liquid that bathes…
January 21, 2021 News by Teresa Carvalho, MS New Study Will Assess Tysabri Effects on MS Cognitive Fatigue Researchers from the Kessler Foundation will launch a new study investigating the effects of Tysabri (natalizumab) on cognitive fatigue ā the type of fatigue that happens after strong mental concentration, such as in problem-solving ā in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Cognitive fatigue, which is very…
January 5, 2021 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Myelin Ceramides Altered in MS, Study Finds Levels of myelin sheath components called ceramides are altered in the blood of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and may be linked with retinal degeneration and physical disability, a study has found.Ā Specific ceramides were altered only in those with progressive…
December 17, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Restoring Neuregulin-1 beta 1 Protein Levels May Help Halt MS Progression The levels of a protein called Neuregulin-1 beta 1 (Nrg-1beta1) decline with the onset and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests. The findings support the potential of Nrg-1beta1 as a predictor of MS risk and progression and suggest that restoring its levels may help halt disease…
November 24, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Tysabri Affects Immune System Beyond Known MS Target, Study Finds Lower levels of pro-inflammatory immune signaling proteins were found in the blood of people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) treated with Tysabri (natalizumab) and were associated with fewer relapses and less disability, a study has found.
November 12, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Neurofilament Light Levels at First MS Event Can Predict Long-term Brain Atrophy The levels of the protein neurofilament light chain (NfL) in the blood when a person experiences a first demyelinating event associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) can predict brain atrophy up to a decade later, a new study shows. Titled “Association of Serum Neurofilament Light Levels…
September 22, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD NIH Awards $2.3M to Bioengineer to Advance Diagnosis, Treatment of Autoimmune Diseases TheĀ National Institutes of HealthĀ (NIH) awarded a $2.3 million grant to a bioengineer at Indiana Universityās Luddy SchoolĀ of Informatics, Computing and Engineering to improve diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosisĀ (MS). The project aims to find ways to detectĀ disease-associated cells based on their ability…
August 24, 2020 News by Forest Ray PhD Paramagnetic Rim Lesions Showing Promise as Diagnostic Marker of MS Inflammatory lesions within the brain, called paramagnetic rim lesions, visible on imaging scans may improve the accuracy of aĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis, especially when used in combination with other imaging-based biomarkers, a Ā study reported. If corroborated in larger future studies, these white matter lesions may serve as an early…
July 29, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD CHI3L1 Protein Levels May Mark Neurologic Disability in PPMS, Study Suggests Levels of a protein linked to inflammation and neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS) ā called chitinase 3-like-1 (CHI3L1) ā may prove to be a cerebrospinal fluidĀ biomarker of neurologic disability in primary progressive MS (PPMS), a pilot study suggests. Higher CHI3L1 levels at PPMS diagnosis showed a…
July 21, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Retina Thickness Can Be Used to Identify MS Patients with Progressive Disease, Study Suggests The thickness of two layers of nerve cells forming the back of the eye, or retina, can be used to distinguish patients with progressing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) from those with stable disease, a study suggests. The study, āMacular ganglion cellāinner plexiform layer…
July 15, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD High Levels of NfL Protein Linked to Disability, Faster Disease Progression in MS High levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) protein circulating in the blood of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) at an early stage of the disease are linked to higher disability and faster disease progression, a study has found. According to researchers, these findings suggest that NfL ā a…
June 16, 2020 News by Mary Chapman $7.2M NIH Grant Supports Study of MS Diagnostic Biomarker The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded a $7.2 million grant to a team led byĀ Cleveland ClinicĀ researchers that will study whether a new biomarker might more accurately diagnoseĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). Grant money will support a study in 400 adults suspected of having MS to determine if the…
May 27, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Higher Blood NfL Levels Predict Worse Disability Over Time in MS, Study Suggests Higher blood levels of theĀ neurofilament light chain (NfL) protein at diagnosis are predictive of worse disability over time in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a large population study from Sweden suggests. The study, “Plasma neurofilament light levels are associated with the risk of disability in…